Major felonies on the Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North and Staten Island Railway fell 20.1% during the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, Gov. Kathy Hochul's office said Monday.
The governor's announcement covers systems patrolled by the MTA Police Department. It said felony crime on those railroads was at its lowest level in four years, following a 16.4% decline in the first eight months of 2025.
Hochul and MTA officials credited security spending, more train patrols, information-sharing tools and expanded camera networks. The figures describe reported crimes during specified periods, rather than crime rates adjusted for ridership.
Different comparisons track crime categories and worker safety
The administration also reported declines in four major crime categories over a two-year comparison: the first eight months of 2026 against the first eight months of 2024.
Burglaries fell 50%, grand larcenies 18.1%, vehicle thefts in station parking lots 42.9% and robberies 39.3%, according to the announcement.
It said no rapes had been reported on the three systems since 2023.
Crimes against Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North employees and the MTA officers patrolling those systems totaled 107 in the first eight months of 2026. That was down from 120 during the same period in 2025 and 240 in 2024 ā declines of 10.8% and 55.4%, respectively.
The administration said a 2022 law strengthened protections against assaults and harassment for an additional 11,000 MTA employees, including commuter-rail workers.
MTA Police Chief Thomas Taffe credited officers' work and support from state and transit leaders. Metro-North President Justin Vonashek said security investments remain central to the railroad's safety efforts.
Crew devices share alerts in real time
The Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North recently adopted a Joint Security Strategy that delivers information to crew members through tablets and cellular ticketing devices.
The alerts include persistent fare evaders, people suspected of crimes against employees or the railroad, and missing-person information. The administration said faster access has helped police apprehend suspects in assault and harassment cases and helped employees handle fare disputes and security concerns.
For the first six months of 2026, compared with the same period in 2025, the announcement reported combined declines of 40% in disorderly-customer incidents, 47% in fare disputes and 12% in requests for police assistance.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said safety repeatedly ranks as riders' leading concern and credited funding for policing, cameras and mental-health outreach. Long Island Rail Road President Rob Free also cited panoramic cameras and fare-evasion enforcement, saying customer-survey safety ratings have been in the 80% to 90% range.
Cameras expand coverage
The Long Island Rail Road is adding panoramic cameras with 360-degree views at stations, yards and grade crossings. The cameras are intended to reduce blind spots and give emergency responders live feeds.
On Staten Island Railway, the MTA replaced its fleet with R211 cars roughly a year ago, putting security cameras in every car. The administration said those images help police identify suspects. LED station lighting is another part of the security effort.
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